This invention relates to a new and improved waterbed environments particularly for infant use and for hospital and bedridden patients.
Warmth, motion, tactile sensation, and sound are important sensations imparted by the mother to an infant. Not only important to its psychological well being, these senses have direct bearing to the physical health of an infant.
Exact reasons are not known, but crib deaths are statistically higher in colder winter months indicating temperature has a cause and effect upon the disease. It is also known that respiratory and other ailments are more prevalent among infants subjected to colder environments. Heating elements warming the bladder would help the infant to be kept at a controlled temperature.
Oscillating, rocking, or vibrating beds and cradles have, in the past, been designed to provide a number of compound motions, for example: motion in the vertical and horizontal plane (U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,999 to Neal), oscillating motion (U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,065 to Gatts), and vibrating (U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,570 to Donnelly).
In a preferred process embodiment, the present invention achieves motion and tactile sensation more natural to the infant due to its pulsating, fluid characteristics and ability to be synchronous to sound. The elasticity of the bladder allows this motion and tactile sensation to effect a larger portion of the body surface area than a conventional mattress. In addition to motion and certain tactile sensations having beneficial psychological effects on an infant, it must also be noted that pulsation causes an alternate compression and distension of the lungs thereby assisting respiration.
Alternative mechanical methods of pulsation could be used, however, the preferred embodiment of this invention includes a pump which pulsates the bladder by intaking and displacing water inside the bladder producing periodic rushing or streaming of water. This means most nearly duplicates the heart function, the difference being the heart pumping blood rather than water. The sound of water rushing and gurgling through a valve at rythmic intervals timed to coincide with the rate of heartbeat would simulate the body sounds of the mother as fluid sound transmission is approximately five times as efficient as air sound transmission. It must be noted that previously disclosed methods of simulating heartbeat or interuterin din electronically (U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,065 to Gatts) is, for one, second generation sound and therefore not natural, and secondly, it is not synchronous with the movement.
Waterfilled mattresses, or so called waterbeds, have been in use for some time, and diminutive manifestations of adult waterbeds designed for infants have been previously disclosed or used. However, the basic problem inherent to a waterfilled mattress for infant use is the fact that an unattended infant could not get up by itself in the event of a leak or burst to save itself from drowning. The preferred embodiment of this invention protects the infant from accidental drowning by utilizing novel protective safeguards in its design.
A leak eminating from the top of the bladder, for example, a puncture caused by a diaper pin, could cause water to flow to the impression made by the weight of the infant upon the bladder. By creating a bladder that would drain from the top, protection would be afforded to the infant from drowning in a pool of water made by a slow leak flowing to the impression caused by the infant's weight.
An additional safety feature incorporated in the design acts as a fast drain means in the event that the leak was too fast to be drained from the top, as in the case of a seam rupture. A curved base with a slight tolerance between the infant and the apex of the curve would allow the infant to come to rest on the base as soon as water was displaced from the bladder. The design would permit the infant to rest high and dry with the displaced water flowing to the sides. A permeable structure surrounding the bladder permits immediate dissipation of water.
An alternate method of protecting the waterbed occupant from drowning is provided by covering the top portion of the bladder with a second, non-permeable membrane. This second layer would act as a barrier to water leaking from the bladder.
Waterbeds have particular benefits for use by bedridden patients prone to develop bedsores. Certain features of the infant waterbed environment would have beneficial applications for use by adults. The waterbeds currently used by hospital patients must necessarily use a thick membrane to avoid possible leaking and thereby reducing the elasticity of the surface. The second membrane means of leak protection permits a thinner, more elastic surface thereby allowing the bladder to affect more body surface area while being safer.
A novel feature of the second membrane in its application for adult use is its ability to be raised or lowered in the manner of a conventional hospital bed allowing portions of the occupant's body to be moved.
Means for raising or lowering body temperatures are effected by heating or refrigerating elements incorporated in the waterbed environment.